


Like Dusk, Like Dawn

by MS_Hikari



Category: Pocket Monsters: Black & White | Pokemon Black and White Versions, Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions, ポケモンマスターズ | Pokemon Masters
Genre: Fix-It of Sorts, Multi, N and lillie bond over their parents being assholes; the fic, help i still dont know how to tag, im so bad at tagging, in case of the lusamine situation, kinda i guess, the notes will make this all make a lot more sense, weird surrogate older brother N is like my favorite N headcanon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:40:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28602333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MS_Hikari/pseuds/MS_Hikari
Summary: While out delivering cards for the New Years, Lillie finally stumbles across the mysterious green-haired man with the black dragon.As it turns out, he's also kind of been through the 'my asshole parent tried killing me with a pseudogod' thing before.(a.k.a. I'm too impatient to wait for a canonical interaction between these two in Masters so I made this)
Relationships: Lilie | Lillie/Mizuki | Selene (Pokemon Sun & Moon), N | Natural Harmonia Gropius/Touya | Hilbert, was going to be more subtle but things kinda spiraled out of control
Comments: 5
Kudos: 44





	Like Dusk, Like Dawn

**Author's Note:**

> yeah i scrambled this together in three hours because I'm still salty about the fact N and Lillie never got an interaction together

Pasio was a lovely place, Lillie decided.

It was rather small, but every inch of it seemed to be bustling with life and harmony. It wasn’t Alola, sure, but it was still a beautiful place, one where Pokemon and people seemed to be fully united. It really was a paradise.

Ironic, considering her experience with _other_ artificial island utopias.

But now wasn’t time to dwell on that. It was New Years, and she had cards to deliver. She, Lance and Scottie had already been split up for a couple hours at this point (‘cover more ground’, in Lance’s words), Lillie covering the forest and park area of Pasio. She only had a couple cards left, but knew the next two were going to take ages.

One from Hilbert, one from Hilda, both to that mysterious N man.

And from what Lillie had heard about him, he was one to move around a lot.

Thankfully, it was always a treat to take in Pasio’s scenery, and besides, she had Ribombee for company. Even if it was a bit tedious, the search certainly wasn’t unbearable.

And in the grassy hills of the park, Lillie finally saw it. The massive black dragon Pokemon flying high in the sky. And even if N wasn’t currently on it, it definitely meant he was near.

Lillie turned to her Ribombee. “Hey, can you fly up there and direct N to land here?”

Ribombee let out a happy cry, before flying up to the black dragon, who was thankfully going rather slowly. After a brief moment, it stopped entirely, before starting to circle around the area, and then lowering itself. A couple feet away from the ground, the Trainer jumped off, then stumbling up and brushing their pants off.

So apparently the jokes about his hair were, in fact, pretty valid.

N looked up, having landed a couple meters away from Lillie.

“Hello!” Lillie chirped, beginning to approach him and offering him a small wave. “I’m Lillie, sorry for interrupting you.”

N shrugged, meeting her halfway. “It’s okay, we were planning on landing soon anyway. What’s going on?”

Lillie smiled, pulling his two cards out of her bag and handing them over to him. “New Years cards, from Hilbert and Hilda! Season’s greetings~!”

The catchphrase might have been a bit cheesy, but she didn’t care. It was cute. For the full affect, RIbombee let out a hum.

“Oh, um...thank you,” N replied, scanning the cards over. “I don’t really know how Hilbert couldn’t have just waited to give me these, we were supposed to meet up later today, but I guess I’ll open them now...did he give instructions to the contrary?”

“Um, I didn’t actually talk with him, and the card didn’t have anything additional attached…”

N shrugged. “Okay then...em, might as well open Hilda’s first…”

Ripping the card open, N pulled out a small piece of paper---not on any stationary or something, just a normal piece of paper. He only looked at it briefly before his brow furrowed.

“...Okay, uh…”

“What?”

Lillie turned to move next to N, before looking at the card’s contents.

**_Dear tree-headed hipster asshat that somehow managed to become my brother’s boyfriend,_ **

**_Meet me on that lava mountain that’s apparently NOT a volcano (somehow) at 1 P.M., no later or sooner! I want a rematch, and you bet I’m going to kick your sorry weed-lookin’ ass into next year this time! >:(_ **

**_Lots of hate,_ **

**_Hilda White Touko_ **

The two exchanged an awkward glance.

“...Um…” Lillie raised her hands in an ‘I don’t know’ gesture. “Happy New Years?”

“Eh, I already knew she wasn’t too fond of me,” N said, folding up the paper and shoving it in his pocket. Then taking Hilbert’s card, he repeated the process and brought the paper out, watching his poker face slowly turn into that of happiness, not even attempting to hide his blush.

“Thank you,” N looked back to Lillie and bowed his head slightly, putting Hilbert’s card in his other pocket. “I’d imagine delivering all those cards would be quite the task.”

“Yeah, but I have others helping me. I’m pretty close to being done,” Lillie’s smile widened. “...You two really care about each other, don’t you.”

“I…” N raised an eyebrow. “Me and Zekrom or me and Hilbert?”

“Well, Zekrom too, obviously, but I was referring to Hilbert.”

“Ah,” N nodded, hiding his face under his cap. “Well...yes, of course we care about each other. Hilbert changed...everything. If I hadn’t met him, then...I don’t want to think about what everything would be like for me.”

Lillie couldn’t help but remember…’changed everything’, ‘if I hadn’t met them…’

The memory was only a brief flash, that of a girl with ebony black hair raising a tiny Rowlet in the air, beaming at her new Pokemon under the nighttime stars---it was brief, but so cherished.

So, so cherished.

“Excuse me?”

Lillie was snapped out of her thoughts upon seeing that N had leaned down to her eye level, look of concern and confusion flooding his face. “Are you okay? You looked really sad.”

“Oh, um...yeah, I’m fine!” Lillie exclaimed, this time her enthusiasm being a bit more forced. “Just zoned out a bit, that’s all, sorry.”

N shrugged. “It happens.”

Just then, Zekrom playfully headbutted its Trainer in the back, receiving a startled ‘HEY!’ before a laugh. Nipping at N’s cap, Zekrom threw it off of his head before burying its mouth (nuzzle? beak?) in N’s hair (something which looked _very_ uncomfortable for N considering Zekrom’s head was about the size of his torso). Laughing again, N turned around before scratching Zekrom’s chin, and then it’s neck, earning him a loud purr (Legendary dragons can purr?). Eventually it flopped down onto the grass, and N followed, kneeling down in front of it and pettings its belly.

“I swear, they’re just an oversized godlike Skitty,” N teased. 

Lillie couldn’t help but smile. It almost made her think of…

“Hey, N? How did you and Zekrom meet?”

It was so silent you could hear a pin drop.

N let out a sigh, continuing to pet Zekrom’s wing. “If I’m being honest...it wasn’t for the best reasons.”

Lillie raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

N sighed again. “Word travels fast here, doesn’t it? Have you heard…”

Oh, right…

“You...used to be the King of those Team Plasma guys, right?”

N’s eyes squeezed shut. “Yeah...that was me, all right.”

Lillie immediately regretted bringing it up. “Um...sorry, does that...bring up some bad memories?”

Once again reluctantly, N nodded. “...A lot of bad things happened...when I was King, I mean.”

“Team Plasma said they wanted to liberate Pokemon from evil people, but...didn’t they just steal Pokemon from random innocent people and abuse Pokemon?”

“They…” the words seemed to be caught in N’s throat. “...they did many evil things I disagree with, yes. In my defense, I wasn’t aware of most of it, but...considering my own actions, that’s hardly enough. I was raised to believe that all humans were evil, and that they abused their Pokemon, using them like tools...and I wanted to help. Wanted to free them of their prisons, so I befriended Zekrom in hopes of changing the world.” N let out a sigh. “Hilbert’s too easy on me, he really is.”

“Why?”  
  


N turned around, sitting down and leaning against Zekrom’s wing. Lillie walked over to him, sitting parallel to him a couple feet away.

“Ghetsis...my father, or...used to be my father, I don’t know. I’m not even sure if he was my father in the first place…”

“Huh?”

“Ghetsis...used me. I was isolated from humanity my entire childhood, and he fed me all those lies about humankind to take advantage of my ability and...try ruling the world, using me. Me befriending Zekrom was a part of his plan,” N let out a sharp exhale. “I get he was the real mastermind, but...I still did so many horrible things that weren’t of his prompting. Hilbert, he...I’m so grateful to have him in my life, but, I...he’s too forgiving…acting as if nothing is my fault simply because of Ghetsis manipulating me...”

Lillie was being hit with all sorts of emotions as once---guilt that she had brought all those horrible memories back to him, rage at this mysterious ‘Ghetsis’ figure, sadness at seeing N’s regret, horror at how he was treated, conflict at knowing what N was involved in, confusion he was sharing this to someone who was still a complete stranger, and---

Familiarity.

“I don’t think he’s too forgiving!” Lillie exclaimed, suddenly angry. “That man manipulated you! He took advantage of a _child_ , just because he wanted power! What was so bad that you did?”

“I mocked the Champion for grieving over the death of his Pokemon.”

Oh.

That...was pretty bad.

“Well, you---” Lillie sighed. “You’re clearly really sorry. And though that was awful, I wouldn’t say it’s irreversible or mentally or physically scarring...you might’ve done some really bad things, but I don’t think any forgiveness is undeserved.”

_Arceus, Lillie, what are you thinking? You barely know this guy or his situation, and you’re trying to play therapist all of a sudden?_

“I…” N hesitated. “...Thank you.”

Before she could even think it over, Lillie blurted her next sentence out. “I know how you feel.”

N narrow his eyes. “You...do?”

“Yeah,” Lillie continued, like her mind was speaking. “Well, not completely, but...my mother...she wasn’t really the nicest. She neglected me and my brother a lot...she was just really obsessed

with her work.”

“Oh…” N looked down. “I’m...very sorry for that.”

Lillie didn’t exactly know how to say this well. “...She fused herself with a Pokemon and tried to kill me and my friend.”

N glanced back up at her, looking at her as if she had two heads. “...She...did what?”

“It’s a really long story, but as I said before...her work was her obsession,” Lillie continued. “She was researching these things called ‘Ultra Beasts’, and did all sorts of experiments...my father disappeared after one of them, and I think that was just the breaking point for her...I don’t think she was fully sane after that. When I was traveling with my friends, during their island challenge, we got all wrapped up in her mess and…”

Lillie shook her head. “It’s way too much to just summarize in a couple sentences. The point is just, my mother...she reminds me a lot of that Ghetsis guy you mentioned.”

Lillie could still remember the exact words Selene had said to Hau when they were explaining what happened; _‘I think Lusamine went crazy and got high off of intergalactic jellyfish toxins while she was in that place, so she decided to become one and then tried killing me and Lillie. Thank Arceus for Solgaleo’._

Selene was always one to try to cushion a terrible situation with humor. Her jokes were hit or miss, most of the time.

That one was definitely a miss.

...Selene.

It had been a while since Lillie had thought of that name. Selene.

“I...would like to know how your mother managed to fuse with a Pokemon?”

Lillie shook her head. “Not even I know. I think the Pokemon being parasitic was a factor, but outright fusion seems way too far-fetched…”

“It does…” N stated. “Then again, there are many things humanity doesn’t know or understand. So many unknown formulas and puzzle pieces that don’t click...I hope you and your friends got out of that situation okay.”

“...We did.”

They hadn’t.

Lillie hadn’t, at least.

Suddenly realizing she probably should’ve left ten minutes ago, Lillie bolted up, startling Ribombee, and adjusted her ponytail. “Sorry for keeping you for so long. If it’s any consolation, it was really fun talking to you.”

Okay, ‘fun’ _definitely_ wasn’t the word.

More like...comforting.

“Oh...right, of course. I apologize as well, I forgot you were still delivering cards,” N replied, nodding slightly.

“...Hey, N?”

“Yes?”

“Let’s battle sometime. I’m on a team with my brother and Hau, my other friend. I’d like to battle you and Zekrom.”

Initially surprised, N offered her a small smile. “Sure thing. I’m always interested to see the different types of Trainers in this place.”

After exchanging goodbyes, Lillie started walking away, clutching the bag of cards tightly, with only one word pounding in her mind: Selene.

\---

“I don’t see why this is necessary,” Gladion affirmed. “She hasn’t come to Pasio and you don’t know her address in Alola, it’s not like you can give it to her.”

Lillie glanced down to the card clutched in her hand.

**_Dear Selene,_ **

**_How have you been doing? Being Alola’s Champion must be a really tough job, huh? Unless someone’s managed to take the throne from you...nah, I’m just kidding! I don’t know who could defeat you! How’s Nebby doing? You better be letting him out of his PokeBall a lot, since, you know, he doesn’t need to be hidden anymore. I can’t imagine how restless he’d be getting otherwise!_ **

**_I think I’ve become a really strong Trainer! I’ve met so many people across Kanto, and battled so many Trainers! I’ve befriended a lot of Pokemon, too! Currently I’m traveling with a Clefairy and Ribombee---they’re so cute, but they’re also really tough, too!_ **

**_I’ve actually been in Pasio---you know, that artificial island place?---for a couple months now, with my brother. It’s really fun! A place where Triple Battles are the norm is really interesting, and it’s a lot of fun! I’ve met so many people in this tiny place alone!_ **

**_I’ve learned so much, but...I still really miss you, you know? I know I can’t come back to Alola yet...I still have a lot of other things to learn, too. I wanna be able to fight you, as equals, fair and square. I gotta wait for that, befriend more Pokemon and grow stronger._ **

**_I don’t know where I would be without you in my life, but...I do know it would be a lot worse. I can’t wait to see you again, and get to really tell you about all my adventures and how I’ve grown…_ **

**_Sincerely,_ **

**_Lillie_ **

**_(P.S. say hi to Elio for me! Hau told me he’s trying to help out on Poni Island and become a Trial Captain there! That’s really neat, I hope he gets to do that!)_ **

“It’s...more of a personal thing,” Lillie said, folding the paper tightly into the envelope.

“It’s always a personal thing, isn’t it?” Lillie could sense he was trying to hold back a smile. “Whatever makes you happy, I guess. Now come on, Hau’s been bugging me all day about going to that malasada stand they opened for New Years, and the last thing I need is for him to start screaming at me because we’re late to grabbing lunch.”

Lillie snickered, elbowing her brother in the stomach playfully. “Oh, he won’t _scream_ at us, Gladi. He’s easily excited, that’s all.”

“Eh, whatever,” Gladion said, turning away from her to pet Silvally and adjust his bag. “Now let’s get going.”

New Years was a great time to be on Pasio, Lillie decided.

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah.
> 
> That's a thing I wrote.
> 
> \- As the tags said, I definitely wasn't intending the isshu and moonlily stuff to play that big a role, but as most of the things I work on go things completely spiraled out of control  
> \- Yeah Zekrom's literally just Toothless in my vision  
> \- So in case anyone's wondering why Lusamine isn't mentioned to be on Pasio, and 'Fix-It of Sorts' is in the tags...it's my bias. I absolutely hate how Lusamine was treated in USUM, and even at the end of SM where Lillie decided to sail off to Kanto because she was concerned about her. I get she's not ENTIRELY Ghetsis, since she did actually care for her kids at some point, but that absolutely doesn't excuse anything she did and she was still an absolutely neglectful piece of shit to her kids. That's why she doesn't show up in the fic, because in my vision both Lillie and Gladion would cut ties with her after SM's climax.  
> \- Honestly, we just didn't need USUM. I'm not going to pretend SM is perfect, it's far from it, but all USUM did story-wise is hinder it.  
> \- yeah Hilda's card to N was like 50% of the reason I made this  
> \- also 'getting high on intergalactic jellyfish toxins'  
> \- this is actually my second version of this, the first one had a lot more unnecessary exposition and was basically just N and Lillie retelling the stories of their respective games. And honestly, even with this I felt like I could've toned down the exposition more


End file.
